'Supergirl' Star Tells Fans About Being Assaulted
by EG
Supergirl star Melissa Benoist went public with the story of her domestic abuse this week. Benoist posted a video in which she describes being repeatedly assaulted by a former boyfriend. Read on for details.
Supergirl star Melissa Benoist is speaking out about domestic violence after what she describes as months of domestic abuse.
In a vulnerable, 14-minute Instagram video posted Wednesday, the actor declared upfront, "I am a survivor of domestic violence, or IPV, intimate partner violence."
Melissa Benoist opens up about domestic violence in a 14 minute Instagram video:
— pop polls (@poppoIIs) November 27, 2019
“I am a survivor of domestic violence, or IPV, intimate partner violence." pic.twitter.com/mVvyFuYcAH
In the story, Benoist, 31, describes meeting the alleged perpetrator at a time in her life when she had just gotten out of a relationship and wasn't eager to get into another. After becoming friends, she says, they started dating and the relationship immediately felt like a "runaway freight train." She says the abuse began as emotional manipulation, and that her partner was often jealous, looked at her devices, got angry when she spoke to other men, asked her to change clothes so others wouldn't look at her and got angry when she did romantic scenes at work.
"Work in general was a touchy subject," she said. "He didn't want me ever kissing or even having flirtatious scenes with men, which was very hard for me to avoid, so I began turning down auditions, job offers, test deals and friendships, because I didn't want to hurt him."
Benoist never named the abuser. She only describes the alleged perpetrator as being younger than her. She has been linked to photographer Nick Vorderman, 37, was married to actor Blake Jenner, 27, for over a year and is now married to actor Chris Wood, 31.
Get the rest of the story at The Hollywood Reporter.
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